ca. 1926. View of a covered brick walkway at the First Presbyterian Church, ca. 1926. The Romanesque church was built from a design submitted by Ralph Adams Cram, founder of the architectural firm of Cram & Ferguson in Boston. The firm was the most famous designer of churches in the country. The church was designed around a courtyard with a pillared colonnade separating the portions of the church. The brick courtyard with its stone benches can be seen to the left of the walkway. (WSHS)
Presbyterian churches--Tacoma; First Presbyterian Church (Tacoma);
Exterior of Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Russell and Babcock, Architects, 1909. Nativity scene, said to be a favorite of young kidnap and murder victim Charles Mattson. Taken in connection with the unsolved Mattson kidnapping case. (photograph T. Times 1/2/37 p. 10; story T. Times 12/28/1936- 1/25/1937, pg. 1)
Presbyterian churches--Tacoma; Immanuel Presbyterian Church (Tacoma); Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Mattson, Charles--Kidnappings;
ca. 1938. The First Presbyterian Church, showing its large stained glass window and dome. This lovely Romanesque red brick church was dedicated in September of 1925 and is on the Tacoma City Registry. It was designed by noted architect of churches Ralph Adams Cram, of Cram and Ferguson of Boston. The structure reflects Cram's interest in ecclesiastical symbolism. The design is heavy with religious symbols carved in stone, wood and metal, including its ornate dome with ancient Christian symbols and figures.
Presbyterian churches--Tacoma; First Presbyterian Church (Tacoma);
Easter Sunday, April 9th 1939, at the Luther Memorial Church. Women and children dressed in Easter outfits, some with corsages, standing on church steps. The women on the left have been identified by a family member as (left to right) Grace Lundberg, Garnet Torgeson and their mother Lydia Torgeson. Luther Memorial had its last service after 112 years on November 9th, 2003.
Lutheran churches--Tacoma--1930-1940; Luther Memorial Church (Tacoma); Easter--Tacoma; Lundberg, Grace; Torgeson, Garnet; Torgeson, Lydia;
Constanti - Taylor wedding ceremony in St. Patrick's Catholic Church. Church has high, vaulted ceiling. Three large lights with multiple globes hang from ceiling. Elaborate altar adorned with floral arrangements. Shirley Constanti and Keith Bogan served as attendants for Marie Eileen Constanti and Thomas Zachary Taylor at the 9:30 a.m. ceremony on March 25, 1940. A reception followed in the Rose & Gold room of the Hotel Winthrop. The newlywed couple will be making their home in San Diego, California. (T.Times, 3-25-40, p. 7)
St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Tacoma); Weddings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Constanti, Marie Eileen--Marriage; Taylor, Thomas Zachary; Brides--1940-1950; Grooms (Weddings)--1940-1950; Altars--Tacoma;
Confirmation Class at Luther Memorial Church on May 12, 1940. Seven boys and nine girls pose with Rev. Kettner in front of altar. Building by Emanuel J. Bresemann and Marinus Durfee, Architects, 1910, and originally known as St. John's English Lutheran Church. (filed with Argentum)
Lutheran churches--Tacoma; Luther Memorial Church (Tacoma); Confirmations--Tacoma;
Dressed in their Easter best, nine youngsters enjoy Sunday School on Easter Sunday 1939 at the First Methodist Church. Pictured in the back row, left to right, are Shirley Ann Rice, Mrs. Marvin Schafer, June Carolyn Gragg and Barbara Kallmeyer. Front row, l to r- John Schafer, Norman Stephenson, Billy Kister, Stuart Gloyd and David Hein. (T. Times 4/10/1939, pg. 3)
First Methodist Church (Tacoma); Protestant churches--Tacoma--1930-1940; Methodist churches--Tacoma--1930-1940; Easter--Tacoma; Children--Tacoma--1930-1940;
Conference at the First Methodist Church. Registration. Delegates to the Methodists Northwest conference receive a warm greeting at the registration table located in the First Methodist Church in June of 1940. 500 from Washington and Idaho were expected to attend the conference which ran from June 12 to June 16. All sessions were held at First Methodist Church. (T. Times 6-11-1940, p. 5-article; )
Methodist churches--Tacoma--1940-1950; Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950; First Methodist Church (Tacoma); Recording & registration--Tacoma--1940-1950;
First Presbyterian Church, artistic view of exterior with clouds overhead and automobile parked by grassy island across from church.. Cram and Ferguson with Sutton, Whitney and Dugan, Architects; 1920-24. (T.Times, Spring Edition)
Presbyterian churches--Tacoma; First Presbyterian Church (Tacoma);
First Presbyterian Church, artistic view of exterior with clouds overhead and automobile parked by grassy island across from church.. Cram and Ferguson with Sutton, Whitney and Dugan, Architects; 1920-24. (T.Times, Spring Edition)
Presbyterian churches--Tacoma; First Presbyterian Church (Tacoma);
Bishop Edward J. O'Dea at dedication of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 602 South 34th Street, on May 19, 1912. He was assisted by Rev. Father Paul Kern and Rev. Aloysius Mlinar, rector. Some of the 150 members appeared in this photograph with two young girls carrying large bouquets. St. Joseph's was the first Slovak Catholic church built in the Northwest. The building and ground were paid for entirely by Slavonian church members or those in the Slovak community. The church was built by its congregation who labored after finishing their regular jobs. It was estimated that this volunteer labor saved more than $10,000 in construction costs with the building costs initially set at $25,000. (TDL 5-19-12, p. 33-article)
St. Joseph's Slovak Catholic Church (Tacoma); Catholic churches--Tacoma--1910-1912; Church dedications--Tacoma;
The congregation of the Epworth Methodist Church stands between the street and the church site on the 800th block of North Pine St on April 9, 1922, following the Epworth Bible School Parade on Sixth Ave. They are possibly gathered near the site proposed for their new church, 710 So. Anderson. The completed church was dedicated in May of 1926. Prior to their new church, the congregation met at 702 So. Anderson, built in 1902. The original church has been demolished. TPL-7074,
Epworth Methodist Church (Tacoma); Methodist churches--Tacoma--1920-1930;
Revival meeting. This great wooden tabernacle is packed as far as the eye can see in April of 1930 as people have gathered to have their spirits lifted and faith reaffirmed. They were awaiting the appearance of international evangelist Dr. Charles S. Price. Tacoma in the 1920's and early 30's hosted several revival meetings held in temporary structures. G22.1-005
Revivals--Tacoma--1930-1940; Religious meetings--Tacoma--1930-1940;
The Salvation Army has served Tacoma since 1888 as a vital segment of community life. In 1922, a new citadel, pictured a few months after completion, was constructed at 109 South 13th St. Architects Hill, Mock & Griffin designed the masonry and stucco structure built on the site once proposed for the Union Pacific Railroad depot. The flag was raised at the June 25, 1922 dedication by a delegation from the American Legion consisting of a soldier, a sailor and a marine. The building was erected at a cost of $42,000, with most of the funding supplied by the Tacoma Elks Lodge. TPL-6360; G21.1-183 (TNT 6-21-22, p. 3-article)
Salvation Army (Tacoma); Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930;
On April 6, 1925, photographer Marvin Boland captured K Street (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way) devoid of traffic. He stood at South 15th Street shooting north, picturing only a couple of parked cars and the empty streetcar tracks as they ran down the road. On the left was the two year old pride of Tacoma's Norwegian population, Normanna Hall at 1502 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. It served as a meeting place for the close knit community. Down the block on the right was the Norwegian Free Lutheran Church, at 1423 MLK, built in 1902. The area was still residential with open spaces, not the commercial shopping area that it became in the 1940's and 50's. TPL-3701; G60.1-082
Normanna Hall (Tacoma); Churches--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lutheran Free Church (Tacoma); Streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Street railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930;
ca. 1931. Pentecostal Assembly Tabernacle, 1121 So. Altheimer St., Tacoma. The Pentecostal Assembly Church was located at 1123 So. G St. (now 1121 So. Altheimer St.) It was built in 1926 from a design by Silas E. Nelson, architect. It later became the First Assembly of God Church. The long time pastor of the church was the Rev. Frank J. Gray. Bowen # CHU-001
ca. 1931. Fern Hill Baptist Church, 8441 So. G St., Tacoma. It is not clear what year this church was built, but the congregation celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1940. The church suffered a fire in 1957. Bowen # CHU-006
ca. 1931. Grace Lutheran Church, 5646-50 So. Birmingham St., Tacoma. This South Tacoma church was constructed in 1907 and originally named the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Immanuel Church. In 1929, it was renamed the Grace Lutheran Church. It underwent another change in 1948, becoming the South Tacoma Church of the Nazarene. Bowen # CHU-013
ca. 1931. Japanese Methodist Episcopal Church, 1901 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma. Architect George W. Bullard designed this church that was built in 1929 by the Tuell Bro. contractors for the Japanese American community. It later became the Whitney Memorial United Methodist Church. It was deconsecrated in December of 1999 when it was purchased by the University of Washington. It was listed in 2003 as the Abbey Ballroom or the Abbey. Bowen # CHU-027
ca. 1931. St. Leo's Church, 1301 Yakima Ave. So., Tacoma. St. Leo's was built in 1920 to replace an older church (1902) destroyed by fire. The 1920's structure was considered a "temporary building" on a permanent foundation. However, the "temporary" structure is still serving the congregation. Bowen # CHU-028
ca. 1931. Christ Episcopal Church, 316 No. K St., Tacoma. The church was built in 1889. It was designed by Daniels & Cook, architects, and was originally named the Trinity Episcopal Church. After a merger in 1926 with St. Luke's, the church was named the Christ Episcopal Church. It has been demolished. Bowen #CHU-035
ca. 1931. St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 3615 No. Gove St., Tacoma. The historic church was originally built in 1915 at 3601 No. Gove St. and moved to 3615 in 1937 to make way for the reconstruction of St. Luke's Memorial Episcopal Church. This building contained the stained glass windows from the Fannie Paddock Hospital Chapel which were later moved to the rebuilt St. Luke's. After the completion of St. Luke's, this building was renamed St. Mark's house and used as church offices. Bowen #CHU-042
ca. 1931. Immanuel Lutheran Church, 4320 No. 14th St., Tacoma. The church was built in 1913 on N. 14th at the SE corner of N. Stevens by contractor A.L. Ronken. It was dedicated as Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church. It has since been demolished. Bowen #CHU-044
ca. 1931. The First Norwegian Lutheran Church was dedicated in February of 1891. This church, which still stands at 1211 So. I Street, later became the Shiloh Baptist Church with Reverend Earnest S. Brazill as its minister. Rev. Brazill retired in 1999 after serving his congregation for 44 years. He died September 1, 2000. A new sanctuary has been erected next to the old church, but the original church lives on as one of the oldest buildings on I Street. Bowen# CHU-052
ca. 1931. St. Paul Danish Lutheran Church, 1310 So. L St., Tacoma. The Church was built around 1904 and has since been demolished. By 1951, it was renamed St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Bowen #CHU-053
